How to Edit the FAFSA Form After Submitting: The Ultimate Q&A Guide

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) can be overwhelming, and it can be easy to make a mistake. However, your submission isn’t set in stone. 

Whether you entered the wrong details, need to add a new school, or your financial situation has changed, it is possible to make corrections or changes. Here’s what you need to know about how to edit your FAFSA form, what types of changes are allowed, and how to make sure your information is accurate.

Table of Contents

1. Can I edit my FAFSA form once it’s submitted?
2. How to edit your form after submitting
3. What can you correct on the FAFSA?
   1. Missing signature or incorrect SSN
   2. Change schools
   3. Missing contributor’s consent and approval
   4. Financial situation has changed
   5. Answered “Direct Unsubsidized Loan Only” on accident
4. FAQ
   1. Can I delete my FAFSA form and start over?
   2. How long does it take for a FAFSA form to process?
   3. What happens if you make a mistake on the FAFSA and don’t catch it?
   4. What is the most common mistake made on the FAFSA?

Can I edit my FAFSA form once it’s submitted?

Once you submit your FAFSA, it will be under review. During this stage, you can’t make any adjustments to your application. However, after your form has been processed or has entered “action required” status, you can make changes to correct or update it. 

In particular, the Education Department recommends editing your FAFSA form in the following situations:

• You made a mistake in what you reported.
• You want to add or remove schools.
• Your form is in “action required” status.

Keep in mind that you’ll need to make your corrections or updates before the FAFSA deadline, which is usually June 30 for the previous school year—for example, for the 2025 – 2026 academic year, the deadline is June 30, 2026. You may also want to check state and school FAFSA deadlines, which could differ. 

How to edit your FAFSA form after submitting it

It usually takes three to five days to process your FAFSA, though if you mailed a paper form, it can take seven to 10 days from the date you sent it. 

If you provided a valid email address during the application process, you should receive an email when your FAFSA has been processed. Otherwise, you can log in to your StudentAid.gov account to check the status. 

Depending on your situation, there are a few ways you can edit your FAFSA form:

• Online submission: If you submitted your application electronically, you can log in to your StudentAid.gov account and make your changes there. If you change information about your parents, they’ll need to sign in to their own StudentAid.gov accounts to re-sign the form.
• Paper submission: If you submitted a paper application, change the FAFSA submission summary you received, sign it, and send it to the address listed on the summary document.
• School: Whether you submitted online or via mail, you may be able to contact the school you plan to attend and ask it to make the corrections or updates for you. 

I recommend gathering the necessary documents in early August or September, ahead of the October application deadline. Starting early and submitting the FAFSA sooner gives you more time to address potential corrections.

What can you correct on the FAFSA?

The two types of changes you can make to your FAFSA form are corrections and updates. A correction may be warranted if you made a mistake on your application, such as an incorrect Social Security number (SSN) or a missing signature or consent and approval. 

The Education Department doesn’t allow many updates because the information you provided must be accurate as of the date of submission.

However, there are a few updates you can make. Read on to learn more.

What happens if I made a mistake on the FAFSA like a missing signature or incorrect SSN?

The information you report on your FAFSA form must be accurate as of the date of submission. If you made a mistake reporting income or other details, you’ll need to correct it. Other potential mistakes may include a wrong SSN or a missing signature. 

Here are more specific guidelines for correcting a missing signature:

1. Log in to your account and select the FAFSA submission in your My Activity section.
2. Select “Provide Signature” under “FAFSA Form Processed.”
3. Select “Provide Signature” again on the “Correct Your FAFSA form” page.
4. Select “Continue” on the “Review Changes” page.
5. Select “Sign and Submit” on the “Signature” page.

Here’s a video that guides you through this process:

If you need to correct your SSN, here’s what you can do:

1. Log in to your account and update the number in the Account Settings section.
2. After the Social Security Administration verifies the number, select “Make a Correction” to update your FAFSA.
3. After updating your SSN, navigate through the rest of the form.
4. Sign and submit the form.

Can I change the schools on the FAFSA after submitting?

If you forgot to include a school on your application or you’ve decided not to attend one that you listed, here’s how you can update your form:

1. Log in to your account and select the processed FAFSA form in the “My Activity” section.
2. Select “Add or Remove Schools.”
3. Enter the school code or the state, city, and/or school name, and then select “Search.”
4. Select the school from the search results. 
5. Submit the update.

This video covers how to add and remove schools from your FAFSA form:

My FAFSA is missing a contributor’s consent and approval

Consent and approval allow the Education Department to retrieve tax information from the IRS to verify income and complete the FAFSA. It’s required by all contributors, even if you didn’t file a federal income tax return. 

You’ll know you’re missing consent and approval from one of your contributors if your application is in “action required” status. Here’s how you or one of your contributors can provide it:

1. Log in to your account and select the FAFSA form that indicates “action required.”
2. Select “Approve” to provide your consent and approval.
3. Navigate through the rest of the form.
4. Sign and submit your section of the form.

My financial situation has changed since I submitted the FAFSA

If your financial situation changes after submitting the FAFSA, the Education Department recommends that you reach out to your school’s financial aid office rather than updating your application. 

Here are situations where that might make sense:

• Your or your parents’ income has changed significantly for the current year.
• Your family has other circumstances that can’t be reported on the FAFSA form.
• Circumstances have changed in a way that affects your dependency status.

On the 2024 – 2025 FAFSA, I answered “Direct Unsubsidized Loan Only” on accident

If you’re a dependent student but your parents are unwilling to provide their information on the FAFSA form, you can opt to apply only for Direct Unsubsidized Loans. 

However, this means you won’t be eligible for certain types of financial aid, including Direct Subsidized Loans, Pell Grants, and the work-study program. If you selected “Direct Unsubsidized Loan Only” by mistake or your parents agree to provide their details, here’s how to remedy the situation:

1. Log in and select your FAFSA submission from the “My Activity” section.
2. Select “Start Your Correction” in the “Student Actions Needed” section.
3. Select “Continue,” and then “Start Student Section” on the “Error Summary” page.
4. Navigate through the “Personal Circumstances” section until you reach the “Your Dependency Status” page.
5. Change your answer to “Direct Unsubsidized Loan Only” to “no,” and then navigate through the rest of the form to invite your parents.
6. Confirm your corrections on the “Review Changes” page, and then select “Continue” to sign and submit it.
7. Talk to your parents about completing their section, providing their consent and approval, and signing and submitting the form.

If you need help with a FAFSA update or correction, I recommend visiting StudentAid.gov or speaking with the financial aid officer at your school for assistance.

FAQ

Can I delete my FAFSA form and start over?

No, you can’t delete a FAFSA form once it’s submitted. However, if you made an error or want to update information, you can make corrections or submit a new FAFSA for a different school year following the steps above.

If your FAFSA has been processed and you need to make significant changes (like switching from a dependent to independent status or correcting your Social Security number), you may need to contact your school’s financial aid office for next steps.

How long does it take for a FAFSA form to process, and when can I make corrections?

When you submit your FAFSA online, it typically processes within three to five days. If you mail a paper form, processing can take seven to 10 days, though delays may occur during peak periods. After processing, you’ll receive a Student Aid Report summarizing your information.

You can make corrections after your FAFSA is processed. Log in to your account at studentaid.gov to access the correction tool. Most corrections can be made online, but changes like updating your name or Social Security number may require additional documentation.

What happens if you make a mistake on the FAFSA and don’t catch it?

Errors on your FAFSA can lead to delays in financial aid processing, incorrect award amounts, or even loss of eligibility for need-based aid. If a mistake is discovered after you’ve received aid, you may need to repay funds or provide documentation to resolve the issue. Therefore, it’s crucial to review your Student Aid Report promptly and make any necessary corrections.

What is the most common mistake made on the FAFSA?

A frequent mistake is incorrectly reporting tax or income information, such as using estimated figures instead of actual tax return data or misreporting adjusted gross income. Other common errors include leaving questions blank, not signing the FAFSA with your FSA ID, and misreporting dependency status. Carefully reading each question and double-checking your entries can help avoid these issues.